"Unfortunately, the number of drug-related crimes has been significantly increasing in our country," Jamiyansengee Erdenebold, head of the narcotics department at the NPA, told a press conference.

"We recently started carrying out operations at nightclubs and other suspicious places in the capital city of Ulan Bator to 'hunt' down drug users," said Erdenebold.

The police have arrested 330 people so far this year, the colonel said, adding that 85.4 percent of the offenders are young people aged between 18 and 35.

A total of 193 drug-related criminal cases were registered across Mongolia in 2018, up more than 30 percent from the previous year.

A lack of knowledge about drugs, curiosity, an attempt to make easy money and weak law enforcement are said to be the main factors in the growth of drug-related crimes.

According to Mongolian law, drug-related criminals face prison terms of at least two years. A life sentence or the death penalty do not exist under the country's drug laws.